Visitors to Edmonton International Airport were greeted this week with a breath of fresh air and what is likely the largest living wall installation in an airport. Green Over Grey’s latest project is a 1,420-square-foot vertical garden located on the main terminal. The project was made possible by the Stantec Architects, who provided space for a living wall in their design of the new airport. The triptych features a large center panel and two smaller panels on the 2nd level. The larger panel was inspired by high altitude cirrus cloud formations and the two smaller panels are based on famous Canadian paintings, Tree Forms by Emily Carr and Unnamed Abstract by Donald Flather.

No soil is used in the project, as the walls are completely hydroponic, and they are monitored closely to ensure that every part receives the right amount of water. The rigid waterproof eco-panels are made from post consumer food grade plastic (such as milk jugs, plastic bags, soda pop bottles, etc) and the moss mimicking rooting material is made from recycled fibres from the textile industry. Featuring 8000 individual plants from 32 different species, the installation is hard at work to remove indoor air pollutants and pump out fresh air. Most of the species are plants that NASA has proven substantially improve indoor air quality are included. Another benefit of the project is that it increases the humidity, which is a great bonus as the air in Edmonton is quite dry. Great job Green Over Grey!